12: Prosocial behaviour Flashcards
The desire to help another person, even if it involves a cost to the helper, is called:
Altruism
The qualities that cause an individual to help others in a wide variety of situations is called an:
(Hint: AP)
Altruistic Personality
The finding that the greater the number of bystanders who witness an emergency, the less likely any one of them is to help is called the:
(Hint: BE)
Bystander Effect
The idea that when we feel empathy for a person, we will attempt to help that person for purely altruistic reasons, regardless of what we have to gain, is called the:
(Hint: E-AH)
Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
The ability to put oneself in the shoes of another person and to experience events and emotions (e.g. joy, sadness) the way that person experiences them, is called:
empathy.
The group in which the individual identifies as a member, is called the:
(Hint: I-G)
In-Group
The idea that behaviours that help a genetic relative are favoured by natural selection, is called:
(Hint: KS)
Kin Selection
The expectation that helping other will increase the likelihood that they will help us in the future, is called the:
(Hint: NoR)
Norm of Reciprocity
Any group with which an individual does not identify, is called an:
(Hint: O-G)
Out-Group
The case in which people think that everyone else in interpreting a situation in a certain way, when in fact they are not, is called:
(Hint: PI)
Pluralistic Ignorance
Any act performed with the goal of benefiting another person is called:
(Hint: PB)
Prosocial Behaviour
The theory that people living in cities are constantly bombarded with stimulation and that they keep to themselves to avoid being overwhelmed by it, is called the:
(Hint: UOH)
Urban Overload Hypothesis
What are the 3 basic human motives for underlying prosocial behaviour?
- Evolution and genes.
- Social exchange theory.
- Empathy and altruism.
According to evolutionary theories, what 3 things cause prosocial behaviour?
- Kin selection.
- Norms of reciprocity.
- Group selection.
According to evolutionary theories, how does kin selection encourage prosocial behaviour?
Behaviours that help a genetic relative are favoured by natural selection.
According to evolutionary theories, how do norms of reciprocity encourage prosocial behaviour?
The expectation that helping others will increase the likelihood they help us in the future.
“You scratch my back I’ll scratch yours.”
According to evolutionary theories, how does group selection encourage prosocial behaviour?
Social groups with altruistic members are more likely to survive in competition with other groups.
How does Social Exchange Theory explain prosocial behaviour?
People help others in order to maximise social rewards and minimise social costs.
What theory is used to explain the role of empathy and altruism in encouraging prosocial behaviour?
(Hint: E-AH)
The Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis
How does the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis explain how empathy and altruism encourage prosocial behaviour?
When people feel empathy towards another person, they feel motivated to help them for purely altruistic reasons.
What are the 5 variables that influence why some people help more than others?
(Hint: PGCRM)
- Personality
- Gender roles
- Culture
- Religion
- Mood
How does personality influence levels of helping?
Hint: AP
The Altruistic Personality
Is personality a strong predictor of helping?
No.
How does gender roles influence helping?
Men are socialised to be chivalrous and heroic.
Women are socialised to be helpful in long-term close relationships.
How does culture influence levels of helping?
We help in-group members out of empathy. We help out-group members to feel good about ourselves or make a good impression on others.
How does religion influence levels of helping?
Religious people are more likely to help others when others will see it.
How does mood influence levels of helping?
People are more likely to help if they are in either an extremely good or bad mood.
What are the 5 social determinants of prosocial behaviour?
- Environment.
- Residential mobility.
- Number of bystanders.
- Nature of relationships.
- Media influence.
How does environment determine prosocial behaviour?
People are less likely to help in dense, urban areas.
What is one explanation as to why people in dense, urban areas are less likely to engage in prosocial behaviour?
(Hint: UOH)
Urban Overload Hypothesis
How does residential mobility determine prosocial behaviour?
People who have lived in one place for a long time are more likely to help others nearby.
How does the number of bystanders determine prosocial behaviour?
(Hint: BE)
The Bystander Effect
How does the nature of relationships determine prosocial behaviour?
- Communal relationships.
2. Exchange relationships.
How do communal relationships affect prosocial behaviour?
The primary concern is the welfare of another persons, so they will be inclined to help them without being concerned about seeking potential benefits.
How do exchange relationships affect prosocial behaviour?
Concerned with gaining equity, they will only help others if they believe it is beneficial to them.
How does the media influence prosocial behaviour?
Playing a prosocial video game or listening to a prosocial song makes people more likely to help others.
What are 2 main ways of promoting prosocial behaviour?
- Reduce the bystander effect.
2. Use positive psychology.
How does reducing the bystander effect promote prosocial behaviour?
Teaching people about the barriers to bystander intervention increases the likelihood they will help in emergencies.
How does positive psychology promote prosocial behaviour?
Focus on people’s strengths and virtues, rather than mental disease. Explore conditions under which people will act in more helpful ways to promote helping behaviours.
